Spinneret polishing machine



April 26, 1938'.

av-sPAANBRo-EK SPINNERET POLI SHING MACHINE Original Filed June 11, 1936l' Patentedn Apr. 26, 1938 by wear or damage.

UNITED A Gerrit Spaanbroek,

American Enka Corporation,

STATES PATENT- olf-FICE sPmNEaET PousmNG AMACHINE poration of DelawareOriginal application J 84,757. 1937, Serial No. 141,807

Divided and 5 Claims.

This application is a4 division of my application Serial Number v84,757flle'd ,June`11, 1936.- n relates to spinnerets The present inventioadapted for use in the manufacture of artificial silk, and moreparticularly to a machine for polishing spinnerets which have becomeimpaired A normal spinneret as employed in the articial silk industry isin the form of a small cupdie, the base plate of whic minute o tion mayis these thus forme subjected to conditions the solution comprise thements used in the formation Due to the severe co nerets are normallysubjec operations, they must be const which will withstand long and hardusag shaped h is perforated with A penings through which a cellulosicsolube forced as individual ne streams. It d fine streams which whentocause coagulation of multiplicity. 'of laof artificial silk yarn.

nditions to which the spinted during spinning ructed of materials e withthe necessity for the replacement thereof being maintained at a minimum.

various chemicals during use.

Attempts have been made able spinnerets of corrosionsuch as glass andbakelite, but the only materials found to be generally satisfactory arethe noble l A adaptable for poli metals and their alloys.

that metallic spinnerets becomey The spinnerets must to manufacturelsnitresistant non-metals -It is found, however,

distorted by the pressure imposed in use. and further that the minuteopenings in the clogged by incrustations formed from the spinning it hasbeen the ,practice to spinnerets and to reca nerets inthe desired condition.

spinnerets become and agglomeratio'ns solution. Heretofore melt downdamaged st the metal to form spin- The past practice involving' thereconstructio of impaired spinn sary because of th nerets and the factthat the -so minute. Reconstruction sential in order that thespinprecision required in the pro articial silk.

This `invention has as an of a device for polishing erets was thought tobe necese fragile character `of the spinopenings therein are wasconsidered es- I nerets have the exact duction of high grade,

object the provision and removing a coating 'previously applied tospinnerets'during'former reconditioning stages.

- It is a further object of the present inventionk to providel animproved polishing machine especially that hav/e become impaired Otherobjects and advan shing the faces of spinnerets during usage.

tages of this inven- Asheville; N. C., assignor to (Cl. 51-124i tionwillbe apparent from the following detailed descriptionwhen consideredin connection'with the accompanying d'awing wherein:

Figure'l is a top plan view of a spinneret facepolishing mechanism; and

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the-polishing machine shown inFigure 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the apparatus for polishing thespinnerets is shown and includes a rigid frame-work 10 having spaced 10upper and lower beds 1|-1I inter-connected by side supports -12. Theapparatus polishes the spinnerets by rotating them individually, prefsenting them to a rapidly rotating polishing element 13 andsimultaneously oscillating the spin- 15 nerets transversely of thesurface of the rotating polishing element. Said apparatus is driven fromany suitable source of power (not shown) through ay belt 14 whichdrivesa pulley 16 fast to a centra). shaft 11 suitably journaled in upperand20 lower beds 1I. Above upper bed 1| polishing element 131s secured tothe upper end of shaft 11.

Polishing element. 13 consists of a circular plate 18 covered with anysuitable durable polishing fabric such Aas canton flannel xed to theexterior 25 fright vside out, and dressed with a. suitable polishingmedium such as chrome-oxide suspended in' tallow. It will be understoodthat when pulley 16 is rotated circular plate 18 will be drivenat thesame rate. f l

Rotation ofthe spinnerets is obtained throughl :worm 8l on shaft 11 indriving engagement lwith .worm wheel 82 fast to horizontal shaft 83. Theshaft 83 isvcarried by suitable bearings 85 fixed on thelower bed1l. Atone end, shaft 83 is pro- 35 vided Withbevel gear 86 meshing with,vbevel gear 81 secured to rotatable vertical shaft 89 on which is fixedsprocket wheel 90. Atl spaced points about 'the polishing element13-rotatable vertical shafts 89a, 89h and 89o are disposed, journaled in40 suitable bearings inthe beds 1|'. Adjacent the lower end said shaftsare provided with' sprocket wheels a, 90b and 80e respectively,4 whichare interconnected by continuous chainA 9| whereby,

fitwill be observed rotation of bevel gear 81 45 d 88e to be driven from'v v 83, the shaft may be connected to drive only' Pivotall verticalrods |05 engage the under side v Sprocket wheels 91, 91a, 91h and 91oIkeyedto the shafts 89, 89a, 89h and 89e are interconnected by chains 98with sprockets |00 keyed to the spinneret shafts 96. Sprockets 91 and|00 have spacing hubs |0| which maintain them in horizontalalignmentiduring polishing, the sprockets |00 be' ing normally urged toalignmentv by expansion springs |02 retained thereon. Spinneret holders|03 are secured to the lower end of-the shafts 96. It will be observedthat if the polishing plate 13 is rotated at any rateof speed thespinneret holders I 03 will be driven at a corresponding but lower rateof speed through worm 8|, wheel 82, shaft 03,' bevel gears 06 and 81,vertical shaft 09,

sprocket chain 9|, sprocket wheel 91. sprocketv chain 98 and spinneretshafts90.

In order to' insure optimum polishing conditions and to utilizesubstantially the entire sur-l face of polishing element 13, it isproposed to y cause the spinneret holders to traverse a constantlychanging pathfwith respect thereto, and

this is accomplished by continuously oscillating horizontal arms 94 tocarry the spinneret holders in an arcuate path between the axis andperiphery of the polishing element. Mechanism for accomplishing thismovement includes a horizontal spider |04 freely oscillatable about themain shaft 'I7 `as an axis immediately beneath upper bed 1|.

of horizontal arms 94 and extend through varcuate slots v|06 formed inthe upper bed 1|. The projecting end of each therebeneath is fitted witha vpivotally connecting link '|08, the opposite end ofwhich is pivotallyconnected to the under side of spider arm I'| 0. 'Ihe `relationship oftheoscillating elements described is such that when the spider is rockedabout the shaft 11 the arms 94 connected thereto by means of rods |05and links |08 will be oscillated across the polishing element 10, theextent of saidoscillation being limited by arcuate slots' |06.

Rocking of the spider |04 is I.

through `'power derived from the belt- 14 and central shaft 11, appliedthrough the horizontalshaft 93 which carries a beveled gear keyedthereto on the end opposite bevel gear 96. The bevel gear IIIengagesbevel gear II2 keyed -to verticalshaft III supported for rotation infixed bearing .I I4. Secured on its upper extremity the shaft Iltisprovided with disk III having a prol jectlng pin I I1 eccentricallydisposed with respect movement vslot I I0.

' tion is adopted, it win also enable' the obtaining to the shaft H3.The pin ||1 rides from end to end of straight slot I|8 cut inthe spider|04. It will be observed that continuous rotation of the shaft ||3 'asdriven from theshaft" causes rotation oi' diskil to rock thespider'throu'g'h Preferably the gear III is larger than the gear 101 in"order that there might be obtainedV unbalanced equilibriuin of thecooperating parts described, vsuch coaction producing, for example,driving, of the polishing disk at a speed of ap# proximately 2,000 B. P.M. while the spinneret oscillated approximately 40 times per minute.

In lieu of driving the gear II! from the shaft the gear 01, it beingfeasible to drive gear |I2 directly from the main shaft 'I1 `byconnecting a suitably geared shaft between ythe worm II and the gearIIZ. Whenthis modified construcof different speed ratios between thecooperating parts as described above in order to even' of pin I |1 inopposite directions along distribution lof wear on the polishingelement. Suitable arrangements lof gears andV shafting, and belts andpulleys may be substituted for the chain and. sprocket drive described.

Operation of these mechanisms has been found 'to insure that allportions of the face of the spinnerets carried on the holders |03 aresubjected to the uniform action of the polishing (agent so'that at theendlf thepolishing operation the face of the spinneret will have been 1.A polishing machine particularly adapted y for the polishing ofspinnerets during the reconing disc above the platform iixedly supportedvupon a rotatably mounted shaft for lrotation therewith, said shaftextending ybelow the `platform, a plurality of armssupported at theirouter vends upon rotatably mounted shafts with their" inner endsextending over the polishing disc, a

rotatably mounted spinneret holder at. the inner.

end of each arm, a plate mounted under the platform extending adjacentVeach of the arms, linkage connecting the plate with respective arms,

means connecting each spinneret holder with theshaft about which itsrespective arm is pivoted for rotating the holder upon rotation of theshaft, and means for concurrently driving the disk at a high speed, thespinneret holders at a relatively low speed, through the arm supportingshafts and connecting means and for causing the arms by movement oftheplate to oscillate slowly with the spinnerets mounted thereon contactingthe lA-polishing machine comprising a platform, a polishing discabove-the platform iixedly supvported on a rotatably mounted shaft forrotation therewith, a plurality of arms supported at their ends uponrotatably mounted shafts with the inner end of each arm, a plate mounted14.5' their inner ends extending" over the disc, a rotatably mountedspinneret holder at under the platform extending adjacent each of' thearms, linkage connecting the plate .with re-vv spective arms, meansconnecting each spinneret holder with the shaft about which itsrespective arm is pivoted for rotatirrgthe holder upon rotation o'f theshaftan'd means for concur-l rently driving thedisc at a high speed, thespinneret'holders at a relatively low speed, through the medium of thearm supporting shaiftsan'd` connecting means, and for causing the armsby vmovement of the plate to oscillate slowly with the spinneretsmounted thereon contacting the disc from immediately adjacent its centerto sub- 'means-for the arms and the disc being constructed to oscillatethe arms at a'predetermined speed with respect to the speed ofrotationeof the disc, such that each spinneretis contacted substantiallywith all portions of the disc prior to con'- tacting the disc in a pathidentical totliat pre'- viously traversed.

`3. n polishing machine particularly adapted ditioning thereofcomprising a base andv a platform spacedthereabove, a polishingdiscabove the platform iixedly supported upon a rotatably mounted shaft vforrotation therewith, said shaft lvstantially the periphery thereof, saiddriving .-"Ioy for the polishing of spinnerets vduring the recon-Y 20ditioning thereof comprising a platform, a polishextending -into thespace between the base platform, a plurality of 4arms supported at their'outer ends upon rotatably mounted shafts with their inner vendsextending over the polishing disc, a rotatably mounted spinneret holderat the inner end ofl each arm for lightly urging a spinneret mountedthereon into contact ywith the disc,V means connecting each spinneretholder with the shaft about which its respective arm is pivoted forrotating the holder upon rotation of the shaft, means for concurrentlydriving the disc at high speed, the spinneret holders at a relativelyllow speed, through the medium of the arm supporting shafts andconnecting means and for causing the yarms to oscillate slowly with thespinnerets mounted thereon contacting the disc from immediately adiacentits center to subl.stantially the periphery thereof, said driving meansfor the arms and the disc being constructed to oscillate the arms at apredetermined .speed with respect `to the speed' of rotation of the discsuch that eacH spinneret is contacted substantially with all portions ofthe disc prior to contacting the disc in a path identical to thatpreviously traversed. l

4. Apolishing machine particularly adapted for the polishing ofspinnerets during the reconditioning' thereof comprising abase and aplatform spaced thereabove, a polishing disc above the platform iixedlysupported upon a rotatably mounted shaft' for rotation therewith, `saidshaft extending into the space betweenv the base and platform,- aplurality of arms supported at their outer ends upon rotatablymountedshafts with their inner ends extendingover the polishing disc, arotatably mounted spinneret holder at the inner end of each arm forlightly urging a spinneret mounted thereon into contact with the disc, aplate mounted under the platform extending adjacent each of the arms,linkage connecting the platewith respective arms.means connecting eachspinneret holder with the shaft about which its respective arm ispivoted for rotating the holder upon rotation of the shaft, and meansthe 'spinneret holders at a relatively `low speed, through the medium ofthe arm shafts and for concurrently driving'the disc at a highspeed,

and connecting means and for causing the arms by movement of the platetooscillate slowly with the spinnerets mounted thereon contacting thedisc from. immediately adjacent its center to sub- `stantially theperiphery thereof, said driving vmounted shaft for rotation therewith,said shaft extending into the space between the -base and platform, aplurality of arms supported at their outer ends upon rotatably mountedshafts with ltheir inner ends extending over the polishing disc, arotatably mounted spinneret holder at the inner end of each arm forlightly Aurging a spinneret mounted thereon into contact withthe disc, afreely rotatable spider mounted under the platform and linked to each ofthe arms, means connectingfeach spinneret holder with the shaft aboutwhich" its respective arm is pivoted for rotating the holder uponrotation of the shaft,

i and means for concurrently driving the disc at a -high speed, thespinneret holders at a relatively low speed, through the medium of thelarm supporting shafts 'and connecting means and for causing the arms bymovement of the spider to oscillate slowly with the spinnerets mountedthereon contacting thetdisc from immediately ;ad

jaoentits center to substantially the periphery thereof, said drivingmeans for thearms and the disc being constructed to oscillate the armsat a predeterminedfspeed with respect to the speed of rotation of thedisc such that leach spin- ,Ineret is contacted substantially with allportions of the disc prior to contacting the disc in a path identical tothat previouslytraversed.

amari' sPAANBRoEK, V

